Central School

Q: Is Central School a good school?

Central School ranks 154 th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Central School is an elementary school in Helena, MT, serving 319 students in grades PK-5 as part of the Helena Elementary School District. While the school has a higher percentage of White students compared to nearby schools, it also has a more diverse student population with significant percentages of Hispanic and Native American students.

Academically, Central School's performance on state tests is generally lower than the surrounding schools and the state average. In the 2022-2023 school year, Central School's proficiency rates were 38.65% in Math, 49.69% in Reading, and 37.29% in Science, compared to the Helena Elementary district averages of 41.42%, 52%, and 51.58%, respectively. The school's statewide ranking has fluctuated over the years, ranging from 48th out of 116 elementary schools in 2017-2018 to 202nd out of 356 in 2020-2021. In the most recent year, it ranked 154th out of 332 elementary schools in Montana.

Interestingly, while Central School is part of the same district as the other nearby schools, its academic performance and school ranking are generally lower than its counterparts. For example, Jefferson School, which is only 1.42 miles away, ranked 5th out of 332 elementary schools in Montana and had significantly higher proficiency rates in Math, Reading, and Science compared to Central School. This suggests that there may be opportunities for improvement in academic achievement and overall school performance at Central School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1325 Poplar
Helena, MT 59601

(406) 324-1230

District: Helena Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
154^th of 332 Montana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,562

Students who attend Central School usually attend:

Middle:	Helena Middle School
High:	Helena High School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.1

Number of students: 319

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.4%

American Indian:

6.3%

Hispanic:

6.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.5%

See top rated Montana elementary schools

Compare Central School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central School ranks better than 53.6% of elementary schools in Montana. It also ranks 8^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 57.89. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (83.4%), American Indian (6.3%), Hispanic (6%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central School is 9.1, which is the lowest among 11 elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Central School employs 34.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central School is $15,562, which is the highest among 11 elementary schools in the Helena Elementary School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Central School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Helena Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Helena Elementary 115^th of 300 Montana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Central School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Central School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MT State Percentile
2004	48.78	121^st	217	44.2%
2005	64.50	87^th	218	60.1%
2006	68.94	58^th	234	75.2%
2007	59.89	103^rd	230	55.2%
2010	38.24	183^rd	241	24.1%
2011	39.78	178^th	247	27.9%
2012	40.43	181^st	244	25.8%
2013	33.70	190^th	246	22.8%
2015	50.95	147^th	287	48.8%
2016	23.10	159^th	191	16.8%
2018	58.67	48^th	116	58.6%
2021	52.36	202^nd	356	43.3%
2022	78.81	79^th	329	76.0%
2023	57.89	154^th	332	53.6%

See the entire list of Montana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Montana Office of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Montana Office of Public Instruction

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Central School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Central School, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Central School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1990	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	298	298
1991	265	0	5	3	19	n/a	n/a	0	292
1992	278	1	8	4	7	n/a	n/a	0	298
1993	300	1	5	5	10	n/a	n/a	0	321
1994	293	2	6	3	22	n/a	n/a	0	326
1995	309	2	6	1	12	n/a	n/a	0	330
1996	309	2	6	1	12	n/a	n/a	0	330
1997	309	2	7	2	12	n/a	n/a	0	332
1998	299	0	6	0	15	n/a	n/a	0	320
1999	296	0	3	8	10	n/a	n/a	0	317
2000	281	2	2	7	10	n/a	n/a	0	302
2001	283	4	3	7	26	n/a	n/a	0	323
2002	246	2	2	6	15	n/a	n/a	0	271
2003	246	2	2	6	15	n/a	n/a	0	271
2004	241	3	5	5	17	n/a	n/a	0	271
2005	224	2	8	3	18	n/a	n/a	0	255
2006	223	2	8	0	16	n/a	n/a	0	249
2007	239	2	5	2	10	n/a	n/a	0	258
2008	243	3	5	5	17	n/a	n/a	0	273
2009	266	4	5	8	16	n/a	n/a	0	299
2010	249	3	6	8	15	n/a	n/a	0	281
2011	239	6	3	8	17	1	0	0	274
2012	247	4	3	13	15	0	0	0	282
2013	243	5	3	12	11	0	0	0	274
2014	220	4	3	6	7	2	5	0	247
2015	230	5	5	6	9	0	4	0	259
2016	231	6	6	5	10	0	8	0	266
2017	219	3	6	3	10	0	8	0	249
2018	210	4	3	5	4	0	15	0	241
2019	216	5	3	3	4	0	12	0	243
2020	262	4	2	12	11	0	11	0	302
2021	227	6	2	24	9	0	8	0	276
2022	250	3	1	15	16	0	6	0	291
2023	266	4	2	19	20	0	8	0	319

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	298	14.0	21.2	12.1
1991	292	13.5	21.6	20.2
1992	298	12.0	24.8	13.1
1993	321	17.3	18.6	19.9
1994	326	18.5	17.6	26.7
1995	330	17.8	18.5	19.1
1996	330	17.8	18.5	19.1
1997	332	17.1	19.4	17.8
1998	320	17.9	17.9	18.8
1999	317	17.4	18.2	28.7
2000	302	17.3	17.5	30.5
2001	323	17.5	18.5	35.3
2002	271	16.5	16.4	29.9
2003	271	16.5	16.4	29.9
2004	271	15.8	17.2	27.3
2005	255	16.3	15.6	32.5
2006	249	16.3	15.3	30.5
2007	258	16.3	15.8	35.7
2008	273	17.7	15.4	36.6
2009	299	19.8	15.1	45.8
2010	281	19.7	14.2	36.3
2011	274	19.0	14.4	40.5
2012	282	19.1	14.7	38.7
2013	274	18.3	14.9	46.7
2014	247	18.9	13.0	47.8
2015	259	18.0	14.3	47.1
2016	266	18.0	14.7	48.5
2017	249	17.5	14.2	49.4
2018	241	19.5	12.3	100
2019	243	18.4	13.2	46.1
2020	302	20.2	14.9	29.5
2021	276	23.2	11.8	n/a
2022	291	25.0	11.5	n/a
2023	319	34.9	9.1	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Central School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1990	298	14.0	21.2	12.1
1991	292	13.5	21.6	20.2
1992	298	12.0	24.8	13.1
1993	321	17.3	18.6	19.9
1994	326	18.5	17.6	26.7
1995	330	17.8	18.5	19.1
1996	330	17.8	18.5	19.1
1997	332	17.1	19.4	17.8
1998	320	17.9	17.9	18.8
1999	317	17.4	18.2	28.7
2000	302	17.3	17.5	30.5
2001	323	17.5	18.5	35.3
2002	271	16.5	16.4	29.9
2003	271	16.5	16.4	29.9
2004	271	15.8	17.2	27.3
2005	255	16.3	15.6	32.5
2006	249	16.3	15.3	30.5
2007	258	16.3	15.8	35.7
2008	273	17.7	15.4	36.6
2009	299	19.8	15.1	45.8
2010	281	19.7	14.2	36.3
2011	274	19.0	14.4	40.5
2012	282	19.1	14.7	38.7
2013	274	18.3	14.9	46.7
2014	247	18.9	13.0	47.8
2015	259	18.0	14.3	47.1
2016	266	18.0	14.7	48.5
2017	249	17.5	14.2	49.4
2018	241	19.5	12.3	100
2019	243	18.4	13.2	46.1
2020	302	20.2	14.9	29.5
2021	276	23.2	11.8	n/a
2022	291	25.0	11.5	n/a
2023	319	34.9	9.1	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2021	$15,611
2022	$16,595
2023	$15,562

Data source: Montana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	243	319	31.3%
African American	5	4	20%
American Indian	4	20	400%
Asian	3	2	33.3%
Hispanic	3	19	533.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	216	266	23.1%
Two or More Races	12	8	33.3%

Schools Near Central School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				Montana State Tests Mathematics (2023)	Montana State Tests Reading (2023)	Montana State Tests Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Montana State Tests Mathematics All Grades	Montana State Tests Reading All Grades	Montana State Tests Science All Grades	Total
Central School	Public	PK, KG-5	1325 Poplar	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1230	319	35	9.1		266 (83.4%)	4 (1.3%)	19 (6.0%)	2 (0.6%)	20 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.5%)	57.9	154^th of 332 public elementary schools	53.6%		78.8	79^th of 329 public elementary schools	76.0%	75	38.7	49.7	37.3	$15,562
Bryant School	Public	PK, KG-5	1529 Boulder	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1200	291	18	15.9		197 (67.7%)	2 (0.7%)	46 (15.8%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.2%)	27.9	260^th of 332 public elementary schools	21.7%		45.5	215^th of 329 public elementary schools	34.7%	45	25.9	29.5	28.6	$13,787
Four Georgians School	Public	PK, KG-5	555 Custer Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1300	455	26	17.5		378 (83.1%)	4 (0.9%)	35 (7.7%)	8 (1.8%)	14 (3.1%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.3%)	81.8	56^th of 332 public elementary schools	83.1%		76.1	88^th of 329 public elementary schools	73.3%	32	47.7	56.7	60.3	$12,106
Broadwater School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Hollins	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1130	254	17	14.7		213 (83.9%)	1 (0.4%)	23 (9.1%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.3%)	58.2	152^nd of 332 public elementary schools	54.2%		34.7	253^rd of 329 public elementary schools	23.1%	101	33.9	45.5	46.9	$14,023
Jefferson School	Public	PK, KG-5	1023 Broadway	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-2060	253	15	16.6		223 (88.1%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (7.1%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	97.3	5^th of 332 public elementary schools	98.5%		98.2	6^th of 329 public elementary schools	98.2%	1	67.4	77.0	72.1	$13,437
Smith School	Public	PK, KG-5	2320 5th Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1530	290	20	14.7		195 (67.2%)	4 (1.4%)	70 (24.1%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	68.7	105^th of 332 public elementary schools	68.4%		87.3	46^th of 329 public elementary schools	86.0%	59	44.9	53.6	42.1	$14,115
Hawthorne School	Public	PK, KG-5	430 Madison Avenue	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1370	202	13	15.5		168 (83.2%)	1 (0.5%)	16 (7.9%)	1 (0.5%)	9 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.5%)	65.8	120^th of 332 public elementary schools	63.9%		70.4	116^th of 329 public elementary schools	64.7%	4	49.5	52.7	35.7	$13,655
Kessler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2420 Choteau Street	Helena	59601	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(406) 324-1700	238	19	12.5		197 (82.8%)	4 (1.7%)	28 (11.8%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	42.4	216^th of 332 public elementary schools	34.9%		55.6	171^st of 329 public elementary schools	48.0%	45	27.6	36.2	40.5	$13,004
Warren School	Public	PK, KG-5	2690 Old York Road	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1600	304	22	14.0		269 (88.5%)	2 (0.7%)	15 (4.9%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.9%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.3%)	67.3	114^th of 332 public elementary schools	65.7%		83.6	66^th of 329 public elementary schools	79.9%	48	48.3	44.3	46.8	$13,083
Rossiter School	Public	PK, KG-5	1497 Sierra Road East	Helena	59602	Lewis and Clark County	Helena Elementary	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	Yes	(406) 324-1500	391	23	17.0		326 (83.4%)	8 (2.0%)	35 (9.0%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.1%)	60	142^nd of 332 public elementary schools	57.2%		57.1	164^th of 329 public elementary schools	50.2%	22	42.5	43.3	42.6	$13,483

Frequently Asked Questions about Central School

What is the racial makeup of Central School?

Students at Central School are 83% White, 6% American Indian, 6% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American.

Is Central School a good school?

Central School ranks 154^th of 332 Montana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 319 students attended Central School.

What district is Central School in?

Helena Elementary

What schools do graduates of Central School attend?

Students who attend Central School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Helena Middle School
High : Helena High School

Rate Central School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

MTMontana Elementary School Rankings

MTMontana District Rankings

Schools in Helena, MT

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Central School!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Montana Office of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.